The rise of political populism in Europe is making it easier for extremist views to enter national parliaments and speak on behalf of an open-minded, outgoing, dynamic and enlightened youth. A stronger youth voice in politics is needed to offer a more positive counter-narrative. Civil society organizations have always been a safe space for youth to feel empowered and capable of making their voice heard. Informal and non-formal learning settings have also always fueled positive change in local communities and it is time that their commitment to building active citizens was both recognised and further supported.

Through this workshop, the organisers will try to answer the following questions: what is the place of non-formal and informal learning in active citizenship? How can volunteering, community action , and youth work foster a sense of belonging and result in a more sustainable civic engagement among young people?

The event will see a policy debate on the topic, with insightful remarks and an interactive discussion with different stakeholders to give the topic the all-round perspective that it deserves. Civic engagement cannot rest entirely on the shoulders of the formal education system, and civil society organisations are here to take the lead in this field.

During the event, promising ongoing projects and success stories will be used as a benchmark to formulate policy recommendations to decision-makers ahead of the next European elections. One of these is the My Europe My Say project that builds on non-formal educational settings to foster youth political participation and civic engagement, through active campaigning and online mobilisation.

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